High School Football Preview: High hopes abound throughout TVL

"The TVL is going to be a battle," said Hopkinton coach Jim Girard. "It always is with outstanding teams that are always well-coached."

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By Tommy CassellDaily News correspondent

MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, MA

By Tommy CassellDaily News correspondent

Posted Aug. 28, 2014 at 10:00 PM

By Tommy CassellDaily News correspondent

Posted Aug. 28, 2014 at 10:00 PM

» Social News

This is the second of an eight-part series previewing the 2014 high school football season. The second part of the Tri-Valley League is previewed today. In Saturday’s Daily News the Dual County League will be previewed.

With preseason already under way in the Tri-Valley League, the teams are getting close to kicking off the regular season on Sept. 5, although Hopkinton will open the regular season on Sept. 12.

And after Ashland, Dover-Sherborn, Holliston and Hopkinton each registered winning seasons last year, they're all eager to begin the season.

"The TVL is going to be a battle," said Hopkinton coach Jim Girard. "It always is with outstanding teams that are always well-coached."

Broken down into two parts, the TVL boasts Hopkinton, Holliston, Westwood, Medway and Medfield in the Large Division and Ashland, Dover-Sherborn, Norton, Bellingham and Millis-Hopedale in the Small Division.

Ashland

Everyone got the Clockers' best shot last year as Ashland (6-5, 1-3 TVL Small) recorded its first winning season since 2008.

But in his fourth season as Ashland head coach, Andrew MacKay wants his team to forget about last year and focus on the present.

"We’re not going to really compare ourselves to last year very much because we have a completely different group of kids," MacKay said. "We’re trying to take the next step with the program, and by doing that we cannot worry about last year. We’re just trying to win each day."

The Clockers will have to win with a new quarterback this season after David Morrison graduated. A starter has not been named yet, but it will come down to either senior Laz Mitjans or junior Mitch Porter.

"It’s going to be different because the past three years (with Morrison) we have had a 65 percent passing attack," MacKay said. "We still plan on passing the football, but we just have to find different ways to do it."

Captains Brian Mahan (DB/WR) and Joe Kerkash (OL/DL) will have to help Ashland find a different way, which may come on the ground with a running back-by-committee approach that MacKay is eager to see play out.

"We have three or four different running backs that we are excited about in Jake Keating, Derek Mash, Filip Cooper and Collin Hanrahan," MacKay said. "They're all just good little tough players."

Perhaps the toughest player on Ashland's roster is linebacker Eric Wallace, who was a first-team TVL All-Star last year and is in charge of leading the defense.

"Defensively, we’ve always been very multiple," said MacKay. "We have a lot of experience on defense. We’re just trying to tie all those pieces together now."

Page 2 of 3 - Ashland will open the season by hosting Blackstone Valley Tech on Sept. 5.

Dover-Sherborn

Brad Pindel is currently piecing together his first preseason as a head coach for Dover-Sherborn.

After serving as the Raiders’ offensive coordinator the past three seasons, Pindel takes over for Joey Schotland. D-S went 6-5 (2-2 TVL Small) last season, garnered a playoff berth and beat Medfield on Thanksgiving Day.

"I hope that the team can build on what they started last year," Pindel said. "I feel each year we have learned lessons that have made us better the next year. I feel the success on the field and how the community rallied around the program is a great foundation for turning the program into something the school and alumni and community can be proud of."

Captains Mark Czieler, Brian Thompson, Daniel Moon and Peter Michalowski will be in charge of keeping the success going on the field and have been what Pindel describes as "the strength of the team."

He added, "Chris Macumber and the other seniors are doing a great job of leading (as well) and are setting the tone for the season."

Pindel is excited to see what the tone will be against Weston on Sept. 5 and is also eager to take his next step at the helm of D-S.

"I'm feeling lucky to be part of these kids' lives," Pindel said. "They are a great group of kids that have bonded through some tough seasons. I think the consistency of having been here for the last three years will be a huge advantage for this season."

Holliston

Holliston (8-3, 3-1 TVL Large) was close to winning the TVL Large division title last season, but a 43-41 loss to Westwood last October, despite a win over Westwood later on in the playoffs, forced the Panthers to settle for second place.

Although the Panthers have to replace last year’s quarterback in Matt Jeye, coach Todd Kiley thinks Jeye’s replacement, Nick Athy, is up to the task.

"(Athy’s) basically been our all-purpose guy offensively the past two seasons," Kiley said. "He’s (played) quarterback, running back and receiver and he is just a phenomenal athlete. It’s been a nice, easy transition for him back into the quarterback role."

Other than quarterback, Holliston won’t have too much transition at other spots and Kiley likes the leadership he has on both sides of the ball.

"Offensively, we’re very well balanced," Kiley said. "We feel like we can take what the defense can give us and defensively we really like what we see. We love our defensive line; they have been doing a lot of good things."

Page 3 of 3 - Kiley expects to see good things from senior running back and four-year varsity starter Joe Bellomo, whom Kiley said is "as strong as an ox," as well as linemen Michael Galeav and John DoCarmo on offense.

On defense, Holliston’s Michael Chipman (6-2, 225) will anchor the line. A.J. Schneelooch (6-0, 170) will lead the defensive backs and seniors Derek Kiley (5-10, 162) and Connor Lefevra (5-9, 160) will do everything in between.

"Derek and Connor are right in the middle on defense," Kiley said. "They are two tough, aggressive, urgent kids and are exactly the type of kids you want in the middle of your defense."

His kids also know exactly what they want this season.

"First of all they want to win the league," Kiley said. "And secondly, make the most noise in the playoffs as possible."

Holliston’s first game is Sept. 5 at Duxbury

Hopkinton

Hopkinton made the playoffs in 2013, but its postseason run came to an end in the Division 3 Southwest semifinals against Stoughton. The Hillers beat Ashland on Turkey Day to salvage a winning record, finishing with a 6-5 mark and 1-3 in the TVL Large Division.

But this year the Hillers welcome back just seven returning varsity players.

So the preseason has been a feeling-out process for Girard. A scrimmage against Hudson and a preseason matchup against Haverhill will help decide who goes where.

"They are good kids that work hard and we have some talent back in the offensive backfield," Girard said. "We were able to work on some things and figure out who's going to solidify certain spots. We graduated 10 starters on defense from last year. It’s not really a revolving door, but kids are competing for jobs."

With tough non-league games against Wayland (opening night), Nipmuc and D-S, the Hillers are happy to have an extra week to prepare and solidify their lineup. But once Sept. 12 rolls around, Hopkinton will need to be ready for its non-league opponents and four TVL Large games.

"Those are our seven games and if we are fortunate enough to make the playoffs, we will go up against some state powerhouse teams in the Division 3 Southwest," Girard said. "We will give it our best shot."